按陽曆，1月1日鐘聲敲響之時，相信很多人，如我一樣都深深地吸了一口氣，再長長地吐出來，「終於迎來了2021年」。按農曆，2月3日就立春了，春回大地，提醒人們農耕的季節到了。按陰曆，辭鼠迎牛， 萬象更新，全球十多億的人都會在世界各個角落慶祝，聽到他們在“雲端”傳來的歡呼雀躍聲。21世紀如此獨特空前的雲聚，可謂是前所未有 。
According to the Western (Gregorian) Calendar, when the clock struck midnight on January 1st, I believe many people, like me, took a deep breath and then slowly let it out. "Finally, the year 2021 has arrived."
According to the Lunar Calendar, spring began on February 3. When spring returns to our world, it reminds us all that the planting season has arrived. According to the Chinese Zodiac, we’ve bid good-bye to The Year of the Rat and are welcoming The Year of the Ox. Life begins anew. Around the globe, billions of people will celebrate this auspicious occasion and send their cheerful best wishes to others virtually through “The Cloud”. Gathering to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year in this unique manner in the 21st century has been an unprecedented phenomenon in human history.
人類在發展前行中失去很多，也收穫良多。很慶幸，我們沒有丟失古老的文化傳統，將之延續下來，並能在海外發揚光大。記得小時候，我住在雲貴高原，就像現在美國的孩子盼望聖誕節一樣，期待著過春節。過年，就有平時吃不到的糖果，有好吃的餃子、年糕和魚；有新衣、新鞋，能穿紅帶綠；噼哩啪啦鞭炮，震耳欲聾，卻讓人興奮不已；有大頭娃娃和龍獅表演，有猜謎語燈會。我們貼大紅福字、貼春聯。我們從長輩處收到小紅包，紅包不像現在這麼精緻考究，就是用紅紙折疊起來，用漿糊粘住的簡易小信封，裡面錢也不多， 幾毛、幾塊錢而已， 收到後還是滿心歡喜。可以用作零花錢，夏天買幾根冰棒解渴，或者存起來。八十年代，我就把好幾年攢的壓歲錢捐給了二哥，幫他實現擁有一把自己的吉他夢。
As civilization has progressed, we’ve lost a lot but have also gained a great deal. Fortunately, we Chinese-Americans have not lost our ancient cultural traditions; we have preserved them, even faithfully observing them after emigrating from our homeland.
I remember when I was a child, I lived in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. Just like children in the United States now look forward to Christmas, I eagerly looked forward to the Chinese Spring Festival. During the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration, we were able to eat sweets that were not available at other times. We enjoyed delicious dumplings, lunar new year cakes and yummy fish. New clothes and shoes were purchased for us; we could wear bright colors, like red and green.
We heard crackling firecrackers, deafening, but so exciting! There were big-headed doll figures, as well as lion dances and Chinese dragon dances. For the Lantern Festival, we played with lanterns adorned with fun riddles. We would post the auspicious Chinese word, “Good Fortune” all over and put up the lucky Spring Festival couplets by our doors. We happily received small lucky red envelopes from our elders. Back then, those red envelopes were not as exquisite as they are now. They were red pieces of paper folded into simple small envelopes and sealed with glue. There was not much money inside, only a few cents or a few dollars. But we were still delighted to receive the lucky red envelopes. We got some pocket money – to buy a few popsicles to quench thirst in summer. Some children were good and saved their money. In the 1980s, I donated the new year's money I had saved for several years to my Second Brother to help him realize his dream of owning a guitar.
提到過年，最有特色的莫過於十二生肖了，這是最有特色的傳統文化之一。 十二生肖是由十一種源於自然界的動物，即鼠、牛、虎、兔、蛇、馬、羊、猴、雞、狗、豬以及傳說中的龍所組成， 十二年為一個輪迴。提到牛，就會想到穩定、勤勉踏實、富於創意、注意實際等屬牛人的優點，厚重緩慢，固執己見、獨斷專行等屬牛人的缺點。不是對號入座，如果你屬牛，是不是多多少少被說中了？我家小兒就是牛年出生，也有以上些許特點。不得不讚嘆，自然萬物千絲萬縷，息息相通，魅力無窮!
When it comes to Chinese New Year, perhaps the most well-known feature is the Chinese Zodiac. It is probably the most distinctive cultural tradition associated with this holiday. The Chinese zodiac is composed of eleven animals that originate in nature, namely, rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig as well as the legendary dragon. Twelve years form a cycle . When it comes to Year of the Ox, one thinks of the positive characteristics associated with this animal, such as stability, diligence, creativity, and being grounded reality. As for any shortcomings, it’s probably traits such as being heavy and slow, stubborn and determined. But it’s not a given. If you were born in the Year of the Ox, is this more or less spot on about you? My young son was born in the Year of the Ox, and he does show some of these traits. It’s fascinating how we are linked with the natural world!
Translated by Ms. Lily Liu, AARP former Historian
